JAMAICAN CALLALOO & POUI BHAJI RECIPE

JAMAICAN CALLALOO & POUI BHAJI RECIPE

Let me share with you how and why I was inspired to make this specific dish. In this dish, I use Jamaican callaoo and sauté it with the simplest of ingredients including onion, garlic, hot pepper, pimento and tomato to create an unforgettable combination to be enjoyed with dhal and rice.  

 

Last Friday, I went to Mummy’s house to spend time with her. She had just returned from a two week vacation in Trinidad and the night before she heard of her cousin’s passing (Dr Linda Baboolal).  I brought her breakfast of a NY style toasted cinnamon-raisin bagel and cream cheese and she made me a cup of chai with the strangest ingredient ‘Ajwain’. She told me a story of her seamstress in Queens who makes the same thing for her when she visits. I’ll be honest, one must acquire a taste for ‘ajwain’, but I enjoyed the tea all the same. 

 We chatted over breakfast and then spent some time in her lush backyard garden in Brooklyn. Filled with rows of hot peppers from habanero to Moruga Scorpion, a giant Jamaican Callaloo bush stood magnificently against the backdrop of the garden. Both she and Aunty Iya, her sister, helped with the picking. I was beyond excited, because not only was it free, but because I heard great stories about how good it tasted. 

 I also came home with poui bhagee, also known as Malabar spinach, a variety of hot and seasoning peppers, some thyme and a small black bag filled with goodies from Trinidad. To deviate for a second, she brought me kurma, mango talkarie, kuchela from my mom in law, dhalpuri roti from two aunties and some currants roll. 

I also walked away with some spinach seeds in a brown paper bag to plant my own Jamaican callaloo bush next season. 

I decided to use both the Jamaican Callaloo bush and poui bhaghee in this dish because of the availability. I also added two okras and a small bell pepper I picked from my garden. The combination was nothing less than sensational. 

I made some dhal to go along with it and another day it was accompanied by kitchri/kichadi/kitcherie which I filmed for You Tube. I was in love with this spinach combination. 

Click HERE for Trinidad Dhal recipe

 

 

I am referring to this as ‘bhagee’ or ‘bhagi’ because Trinidadians typically refer to any spinach as ‘bhagee’, just like we refer to any toothpaste as ‘colgate’. 

Callaloo for us is a soup-like side dish made traditionally with dasheen/taro bush, okra, pumpkin and seasonings which are simmered together with coconut milk. I have made our Trini callaloo with chopped frozen spinach and it’s just as delectable. Check out that recipe here. In Trinidad, our callaloo is eaten with macaroni pie, steamed plain rice and stewed chicken or some type of curry. 

CLICK HERE FOR TRINIDAD CALLALOO RECIPE

Jamaicans call this type of spinach Callaloo and make it differently. 

They serve it with boiled green fig, dumplings or festival (elongated, deep fried dough). As I mentioned above, this is my combination based on available ingredients. 

PRESS PLAY TO WATCH ON YOUTUBE!

Bhagee made with Jamaican Callaloo and Poui Bhagee
Serves 4

1 plum tomato or 3 small cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small red bell pepper, julienned

Hot pepper, to taste
salt, to taste 

 

Add garlic, okra and cook for one minute. 

 

 

Add spinach, salt and stir for a couples of minutes to combine and coat with the oil and the other flavors. 

Add tomatoes, pimento peppers, a little more hot pepper if you wish.

Cover, lower heat and steam for 10-15 minutes until the spinach has softened, the liquid has evaporated and the flavors have melded.

 

I am sure you will enjoy this delicious combination!

With love & best dishes,

Ria